Patent US4205236A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4205236A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Finger operated control system for hand-held appliances
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1977-08-10
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Granted: 1980-05-27
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Expires: 1997-08-10
Abstract
Abstract An improved control system for hand-held appliances, in particular but not exclusively dental instruments is disclosed. The basic features of the improved control system are a closed or sealed enclosure or container to be mounted on a part of the appliance, preferably on the exterior surface of a handle portion thereof. The enclosure contains a deformable working medium body such as a fluid body which is adapted to effect actuation, operation or control of an actuatable device associated with the appliance. The actuatable device may be a regulator, a transducer or a motor. The control system is an indirectly acting type in which the working medium is displaced by locally compressing the enclosure. This displacement is used to move or operate a movable wall part of the enclosure which, in turn, operates a transducer or regulator unit in response to the degree of compression of the enclosure. The transducer or regulator unit is connected to an external circuit for changing specific characteristics or properties thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Sven K. L. Goof
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 07:58
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H3/00; H01H3/22; H01H3/24; A; A61; A61C; A61C1/00; A61C1/0007; H01H29/00; H01H29/004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A hand-held appliance comprising a handle portion and at least one finger-operable control device for controlling a variably actuatable device associated with said appliance; said control device comprising a sealed and compressible enclosure member mounted on said handle portion, said enclosure member being filled with a working fluid; said enclosure member having a wall portion which is movable responsive to displacements in said working fluid upon squeezing said enclosure member against said handle portion, the movable wall portion being formed as part of a protruding tubular branch portion with a free end extending into the interior of said handle portion; and said movable wall portion being operatively connected with a movable member of a control unit in said handle portion, said control unit being arranged to variably control said actuatable device dependent on the extent of moving said movable member, whereby said actuatable device is variably actuated responsive to the degree of squeezing said enclosure member against said handle portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A hand-held appliance comprising a handle portion and at least one finger-operable control device for controlling a variably actuatable device associated with said appliance; said control device comprising a sealed and compressible enclosure member mounted on said handle portion, said enclosure member being filled with a working fluid; said enclosure member having a wall portion which is movable responsive to displacements in said working fluid upon squeezing said enclosure member against said handle portion, the movable wall portion being formed as part of a protruding tubular branch portion with a free end extending into the interior of said handle portion; and said movable wall portion being operatively connected with a movable member of a control unit in said handle portion, said control unit being arranged to variably control said actuatable device dependent on the extent of moving said movable member, whereby said actuatable device is variably actuated responsive to the degree of squeezing said enclosure member against said handle portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A hand-held appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein said movable wall portion is terminating and sealing the free end of said tubular branch portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A hand-held appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein said branch portion is terminated by a bellows, an end wall thereof constituting said movable wall portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A hand-held appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein said enclosure member comprises a generally annular hollow portion seated on said handle portion, the tubular branch portion protruding therefrom and into said handle portion, said movable wall portion terminating and sealing the free end of the branch portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A hand-held appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuatable device comprises a motor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A hand-held appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein said control unit comprises a detector coil, and wherein said movable member of the control unit comprises a core member, said core member being displaceable to change the magnetic field of the detector coil by squeezing said enclosure member and depending on the degree of said squeezing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
152 words
A hand-held appliance comprising a handle portion and at least one finger-operable control device for controlling a variably actuatable device associated with said appliance; said control device comprising a sealed and compressible enclosure member being filled with a working fluid; said enclosure member further comprising an exterior portion mounted on said handle portion and being squeezable thereagainst, and a branch portion protruding from said exterior portion and into the interior of said handle portion, said branch portion including a movable wall portion which is movable responsive to displacements in said working fluid upon squeezing said exterior enclosure member portion against said handle portion; and said movable wall portion being operatively connected with a movable core member adapted to change the magnetic field of a detector coil, whereby said actuatable device, when connected to terminals of said detector coil, is variably controlled responsive to the degree of squeezing said exterior enclosure member portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
152 words
A hand-held appliance comprising a handle portion and at least one finger-operable control device for controlling a variably actuatable device associated with said appliance; said control device comprising a sealed and compressible enclosure member being filled with a working fluid; said enclosure member further comprising an exterior portion mounted on said handle portion and being squeezable thereagainst, and a branch portion protruding from said exterior portion and into the interior of said handle portion, said branch portion including a movable wall portion which is movable responsive to displacements in said working fluid upon squeezing said exterior enclosure member portion against said handle portion; and said movable wall portion being operatively connected with a movable core member adapted to change the magnetic field of a detector coil, whereby said actuatable device, when connected to terminals of said detector coil, is variably controlled responsive to the degree of squeezing said exterior enclosure member portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
166 words
A hand-held device comprising a variably actuatable appliance; a relatively rigid handle portion connected to said appliance; means for variably actuating said appliance disposed in said handle portion; and a control device at least partially disposed on an exterior surface of said handle portion for controlling said means for actuating, said control device comprising: a sealed enclosure member filled with a working fluid and having a first portion disposed on the exterior surface of said handle portion in such manner that said portion is compressible against said handle portion by direct finger pressure, and said enclosure member having a second wall portion disposed within said handle portion, said wall portion being movable in response to displacement of said working fluid by finger pressure on said first portion, and said means for actuating including a movable member operatively associated with said second wall portion in such manner that the degree of compression of said first portion against said handle portion determines the variable actuation of said appliance.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
A hand-held device comprising a variably actuatable appliance; a relatively rigid handle portion connected to said appliance; means for variably actuating said appliance disposed in said handle portion; and a control device at least partially disposed on an exterior surface of said handle portion for controlling said means for actuating, said control device comprising: a sealed enclosure member filled with a working fluid and having a first portion disposed on the exterior surface of said handle portion in such manner that said portion is compressible against said handle portion by direct finger pressure, and said enclosure member having a second wall portion disposed within said handle portion, said wall portion being movable in response to displacement of said working fluid by finger pressure on said first portion, and said means for actuating including a movable member operatively associated with said second wall portion in such manner that the degree of compression of said first portion against said handle portion determines the variable actuation of said appliance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
An appliance according to claim 8 wherein said handle portion has a longitudinally-extending axis and wherein said first portion of said enclosure member extends parallel to the axis of said handle portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
An appliance according to claim 8 wherein said first portion of said enclosure member defines a generally annular member surrounding said handle portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A hand-held appliance according to claim 1, wherein the variably actuatable device is moved from an operative condition to an inoperative condition by squeezing said enclosure member against said handle portion.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-05-27 | 1983-11-26 | 1984-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-05-27 | 1987-11-26 | 1988-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-05-27 | 1991-11-26 | 1992-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |